Belle époque: French Music for Wind Orsino Ensemble & Pavel Kolesnikov

• Albert Roussel (1869 - 1937):
• 1 Roussel: Divertissement, Op. 6, L. 7 06:59
• Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918):
• 2 Debussy: Petite pièce, L. 120 (Version for Clarinet & Piano) 01:29
• 3 Debussy: Première rhapsodie, L. 116 (Version for Clarinet & Piano) 08:20
• Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921):
• 4 Saint-Saëns: Romance in F Major, Op. 36, R. 195 (Version for Horn & Piano) 03:41
• 5 Saint-Saëns: Caprice sur des airs danois et russes, Op. 79, R. 126 11:36
• Cécile Chaminade (1857 - 1944):
• 6 Chaminade: Flute Concertino in D Major, Op. 107 (Version for Flute & Piano) 08:29
• Charles Koechlin (1867 - 1950): 2 Nocturnes, Op. 32b:
• 7 Koechlin: 2 Nocturnes, Op. 32b: No. 1, Venise. Andante con moto - Tranquillo 03:10
• 8 Koechlin: 2 Nocturnes, Op. 32b: No. 2, Dans la forêt. Adagio 03:27
• André Caplet (1878 - 1925): Quintet, Op. 8 (Version for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon & Piano):
• 9 Caplet: Quintet, Op. 8 (Version for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon & Piano): I. Allegro 08:35
• 10 Caplet: Quintet, Op. 8 (Version for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon & Piano): II. Adagio 07:26
• 11 Caplet: Quintet, Op. 8 (Version for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon & Piano): III. Scherzo 03:52
• 12 Caplet: Quintet, Op. 8 (Version for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon & Piano): IV. Finale 07:39
• Claude Debussy:
• 13 Debussy: Syrinx, L. 129 03:38
• Total Runtime 01:18:21

Info for Belle époque: French Music for Wind

Under the leadership of its Artistic Director, Adam Walker, the Orsino Ensemble is a chamber group of flexible formation with five outstanding wind players at its core. Each is a leader in his or her field, the group's members committed to showcasing the depth and versatility of the wind chamber repertoire. They expand and reduce the Ensemble's format as needed across their different programmes. This flexible approach is clearly demonstrated on this their début recording for Chandos, programming works for solo instrument through to the full wind quintet and piano needed for Albert Roussel's Divertissement.

The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries bore witness to significant advances in the design and manufacture of wind instruments, much of the development driven by French makers. At the same time, the rapidly expanding Paris Conservatoire supported not only performance study, but also a vast output of original compositions by their teaching staff for the student body. The varied programme on this album captures the spirit of the age – a Belle Époque indeed!

Matthew Hunt, clarinet
Pavel Kolesnikov, piano
Adam Walker, flute, direction
Alec Frank-Gemmill, horn
Orsino Ensemble

Adam Walker
At the forefront of a new generation of wind soloists, Adam Walker was appointed principal flute of the London Symphony Orchestra at the age of 21. In 2009 he received the Outstanding Young Artist Award at MIDEM Classique and the following year won a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship and was shortlisted for the Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award.

Adam’s repertoire interests range from exploring Baroque repertoire through to newly commissioned works. He has given world premieres of Brett Dean’s The Siduri Dances with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (2011), Kevin Puts’ Flute Concerto at the invitation of Marin Alsop at the Cabrillo Festival (2013) and Huw Watkins’ Flute Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra under Daniel Harding, commissioned jointly by the LSO and BBT (2014).

As a soloist Adam regularly performs with the major UK orchestras including the BBC Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony, London Symphony, Hallé, Ulster, Scottish Chamber and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Further afield he has performed with the Baltimore Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Grant Park Festival, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Mexico, Seoul Philharmonic, Auckland Philharmonia, Malaysian Philharmonic, Malmö Symphony, Tampere Philharmonic, Vienna Chamber, Solistes Européens, Luxembourg and the RTE National Symphony Orchestras.

A committed chamber musician with a curious and creative approach to repertoire and programming, 2018 saw the launch of Adam’s wind group, the Orsino Ensemble, at the Aldeburgh Festival. The ensemble focuses on five outstanding wind players including Nicholas Daniel, Amy Harman, Matthew Hunt and Alec Frank – Gemmill, with a mission to showcase the depth and versatility of the wind chamber repertoire. Recital highlights over recent seasons have included LSO St Luke’s, De Singel Antwerp, Musée du Louvre, Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, Frankfurt Alte Oper and the Utrecht, West Cork, Delft and Moritzburg Chamber Music Festivals. Adam appears regularly at the Wigmore Hall where he has recently collaborated with Brett Dean, Tabea Zimmermann, Cédric Tiberghien, Angela Hewitt, Mahan Esfahani, Ailish Tynan and Sean Shibe. 2018 saw Adam take up his place on the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s prestigious Bowers Program, which involves performing and touring with the ensemble both at Lincoln Center and across the United States for three seasons.

Current engagements include performances with the Bergen Philharmonic under Edward Gardner, Gävle Symphony Orchestra / Jessica Cottis and Tampere Philharmonic / Carlos Kalmar. Recital and chamber music projects see Adam return to the Frankfurt Alte Oper and Wigmore Hall as well as the Weesp Chamber Music Festival and the Australian Chamber Music Festival, collaborating with artists including Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Sean Shibe, Tom Poster and the Navarra Quartet.

Adam Walker’s first recital disc with Chandos will be released in spring 2021, featuring the Franck Sonata alongside works by Saint-Saëns, Duruflé and Widor with pianist James Baillieu and violist Timothy Ridout whilst Orsino releases its first CD centred around music of the French Belle Époque (Roussel, Debussy, Chaminade, Caplet, Saint Saens). Earlier recordings include “Vocalise” taking inspiration from song in works by Poulenc, Messiaen, Bartók and Schubert (Opus Arte), the Kevin Puts Flute Concerto with Marin Alsop and the Peabody Institute (Naxos) and the Huw Watkins Concerto with the Hallé and Ryan Wigglesworth (NMC).

A passionate and devoted teacher, Adam is professor of flute at the Royal College of Music, London, and Talent Music Masters, Brescia. He gives masterclasses regularly throughout the world.

Born in 1987, Adam Walker studied at Chetham’s School of Music with Gitte Sorensen and at the Royal Academy of Music with Michael Cox graduating with distinction in 2009 and winning the HRH Princess Alice Prize for exemplary studentship. He was appointed professor at the Royal College of Music in 2017.

Orsino Ensemble
Making their debut at the Aldeburgh International Festival in 2018, The Orsino Ensemble is a flexible format chamber ensemble with a central focus on the five outstanding wind players at its core. Each a leader in their field, the group’s members are committed to showcasing the depth and versatility of the wind chamber repertoire; expanding and reducing the ensemble’s format as needed across their different programmes.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Adam Walker, the Orsino Ensemble is a flexible format chamber ensemble with a central focus on the five outstanding wind players at its core. Each a leader in their field, the group’s members are committed to showcasing the depth and versatility of the wind chamber repertoire; expanding and reducing the ensemble’s format as needed across their different programmes.

Booklet for Belle époque: French Music for Wind